


Letters From And To A Mister Wilson Percival Higgsbury

by princecaviar



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Edwardian Period, Gen, Letters, Minor Character Death, Period-Typical Racism, The Great War, thought it's just a short mention because of Ellis Island, wwi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princecaviar/pseuds/princecaviar
Summary: The following letters were collected by the Pinkerton Detective Agency from Mrs Hikysz as part of an effort to solve the disappearance of her son Wicent Hikysz, legally known in the United States as Wilson Higgsbury. All letters have been translated from Polish for ease of reading.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

Dear Jakob,

I _swear_ , I’ve only been gone for a month, and I come to hear that you’re going off to _war_ ? You _silly_ boy. You’re not allowed to go off and get into trouble while I’m stuck here at school. If you get yourself killed, I _swear_.

How’s mama taking the news? Tomasz is the one who wrote to me, so I haven’t heard from her about it yet. Although I can’t imagine that it will be long before her letter arrives. I can hear her worrying about you already- though I know perfectly well that I’m just as bad.

I suppose that if it was going to be one of us to go off to war, it would be you. Tomasz and I have always been far too preoccupied with our studies to do anything like that. But _honestly_ , myszko. Like we didn’t nearly get ourselves killed enough as little children.

School’s been alright so far. Entirely too much memorization for my taste, of course, but we won’t get back into proper work for another month yet. I wonder if they’ll send some of us upper-year students off to help in the war. Maybe I’ll see you out there! I don’t think I’d like it terribly, though, even if it means getting to help people and do some proper work. Something about getting shot at just isn’t to my taste.

I’ll end this letter now before I go on for another paragraph and a half with worry. Stay safe, and come home as often as you can. And most importantly, _write_! I’m sure that you’ll have plenty of amazing stories, out there.

Your brother, 

Wicent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translator's note: Myszko is Polish for mouse. Leaving it in Polish makes the affection behind the name more apparent.


	2. Chapter 2

Dear Jakob,

I’m glad everyone is holding up so far. Mama’s letter was so  _ worried _ , as I had expected. I thought I’d seen the worst of it when I first went off to school. But you’re going into a much more dangerous situation than I was. At least Warszawa is relatively safe. 

How are things, so far? Is it difficult? I can only imagine that it’s going to be tough. You’ve always been the type to get into play fights, but this is an entirely different sort of situation. Have any of the other boys from town come with you? I’d imagine that Piotr and Tymon would have followed you. The three of you were  _ awful _ when you got together. I wish your commanding officer luck if it is the three of you!

Classes are starting to get harder. More memorization and such. I wish so  _ badly _ to start working with real patients already! We’ve already proven that we could do it! Why must they make us wait so much? At least I’m still properly learning, even if I can’t be quite as hands-on as I would like.

I’m thinking about perhaps, once my schooling is over, going back for a different sort of education. I would  _ adore _ learning how to create the fascinating machines they have. We got an absolutely  _ fascinating _ one just the other day! It measures the electrical pulses that are the result of the patient’s heartbeat. I would absolutely love to learn how it was made. 

I suppose I should quit before I start rambling on about things that you likely only half understand. I don’t want to push your patience, after all. I can just see the look you would give me. Stay safe. Do well. And come home, Jakob.

Your brother,

Wicent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translator's note: For the sake of this summary document, the next few letters have been omitted. They contained more details that have been deemed insignificant and were mostly trivial.


	3. Chapter 3

Dear Mama,

I’m coming home. I know that I should stay up here, but I can’t leave you and Tomasz by yourselves. I can pick back up at school later. My professors will understand.

I’ll be back in time for the funeral.

Love,

Wicent


	4. America

Dear Mama,

America has been fine so far. I’ve settled in a town outside of the big city. It reminds me of home. I’m alone in my little house, but that’s alright.

They changed my name when I got here! I think I must have mumbled, and perhaps the man didn’t hear me properly. According to America, I’m Wilson Higgsbury. Nobody would guess that I was from Poland until they heard me speak, now. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

I’ve sent some letters off to the universities around here, to see if I might be able to pick back up on my schooling. It will be terribly interesting to see if education is different over here. I don’t think that there will be many differences, but it will be interesting anyway!

How are you? Is Tomasz doing well at work? I’ll try to send money back, when and if I can. Though things might be hard on me for a while. I’ll see what I can do.

Love,

Wicent


	5. Chapter 5

Dear Mama,

I’m being safe, I promise. I’m glad to hear that Tomasz is alright. Tell him that I said congratulations! Perhaps I’ll make a trip over some time to meet the little one, once he’s born. Or everyone could come over to here! It would be very lovely to see you all again either way.

I’ve spoken with some schools around here, and it seems like it’s going to cost me quite a bit to return to education. So, unfortunately, that’s going to have to wait for a while until I can save up. But it’s no matter! I’ve been doing some very interesting things that look very promising. No details just yet, as I don’t want to get both my and your hopes up.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Hopefully I’ll have more to write about in my next letter.

Love,  
Wicent


	6. Chapter 6

Dear Wicent,

Mama’s getting worried. I know that it’s not even been a month yet, but you know how she is. And I know how you are too, always getting so wrapped up in whatever has caught your attention at the moment. Take a break to write Mama, alright?

Tomasz


	7. Chapter 7

Wicent,

You’re starting to worry me now, too. You’ve never gone this long without writing. Whatever has caught your attention must be big. Please, Wicent, take some time to rest and to write. Take care of yourself.

Tomasz


	8. Chapter 8

Wicent,

It’s been nearly six months. Are you okay? Are you even getting these?

If you don’t reply in a month, I’m coming to find you.

Tomasz


	9. Chapter 9

Wicent,

I’m on my way.

Tomasz


	10. Tomasz

_Knock-knock-knock_

Silence.

_Knock-knock-knock_

More silence.

_Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock_

Still, nothing but silence. Tomasz glances worriedly up at his brother’s house, pulling his coat tighter around himself. This… wasn’t good. Wicent got a little lost at times when something caught his attention, yes, but it had _never_ been to this point.

Of course, Jakob had always been there to pull him out of it. With Jakob gone, who knows how bad it could get?

With more than a bit of hesitance, Tomasz tries the knob. The door swings open, and he steps inside with some hesitance. 

“Wicent?”

The house is a **_mess_ ** just from what little he can already see, papers scattered all over the living room and burn marks on one wall. Everything, however, is covered in a fine layer of dust. The house doesn’t hold the uniquely alive energy that Wicent has always had.

Tomasz makes his way through the rest of the house with trepidation, each room looking more and more unused than the last. The bedroom looks like no one has _ever_ been in it. Eventually, he makes his way to the stairs. These, too, hold a layer of dust, one that Tomasz disturbs as he climbs them with trepidation.

The stairs take him up to a small hallway, with only a single door at the end. He braces himself before he goes to open it, prepared to discover the body of his only remaining brother.

It’s almost worse that he doesn’t.

The attic room is even more of a disaster than the living room, tables and shelves full of things that Tomasz doesn’t even recognize. Most of the space, however, is occupied by a _gigantic_ machine made of metal and wood. It grins mockingly at Tomasz, and he shudders. He carefully avoids it as he tip-toes around the space, looking for any hint of what happened during the final months of his baby brother’s life.

The blood that he finds staining the floor is the only real clue, at first.

Then, he discovers the note.

He brings it back to his mother when he returns to Poland a few months later, handing it to her with solemn eyes that say everything he can’t manage.


	11. Love, Wilson

Dear Mama,

Sorry for the late letter, things have been very busy around here! Something incredible has happened, Mama, and it might just make everything worth it. I’ve made a deal with this man, Mama, and I’m going to make the most wonderful thing. I can’t wait to show you.

Love,

Wilson


End file.
